Blood Ties

Chapter thirteen

"Okay, let's approach this logically." Rodney took three steps back toward the Ancient facility's entrance, then slowed and veered off in another direction. "Only the gate is shielded, Lieutenant'? Your team's on the outside?"

"Yes, and so's…DHD," Bailey replied.

"Try dialing out," instructed Rodney.

"Copy that." There was a pause, and then a muffled curse. "Nothing doing, Doc."

"What about the jumper's dialer?" suggested Lome.

Rodney shook his head. "The DHD isn't the problem. The signal's obviously not getting through."

Although he said nothing further, Teyla recognized the gate shield to be a very large obstacle. If they couldn't dial at all, there was no way to get even a message back to Atlantis. They would have to figure this one out on their own.

"Can you disable the force field?" she asked.

From her place near the computer terminals, she saw Radek direct a look at Rodney that was undeniably accusatory.

"Oh, so you automatically assume that me opening the door had something to do with triggering a force field on another continent," Rodney snapped. "There's nothing to indicate the two events were in any way connected"

Radek's expression remained unchanged. Ignoring it, Rodney addressed Teyla. "Just give me a few minutes to get into the systems here and I'll have it sorted out in no time."

"I hope so," Radek said. "Travel time to the nearest planet with another usable Stargate is in excess of one hundred and fifty light years."

"It has to be a safety protocol, that's all," Rodney told him shortly. "No reason to panic."

"When have some of us ever needed a reason'?"

With a glare at his colleague, Rodney continued to speak as he paced the room. "I concede that the force field around the gate might have been triggered when we disabled the shield here, in order to prevent any accidental wildlife incursions of the type we experienced on Atlantis."

"Might?" Radek regarded him with mild disbelief. "For what other purpose would the shield have suddenly appeared?"

Rolling his eyes, Rodney said, "Can't you think outside the box just once? I'm not in any way disagreeing with the purpose of a force field blocking access to the gate. I'm simply exploring the manner in which it activated. For all we know a clumsy Marine triggered it by stepping on some hidden switch."

Major Lorne's raised eyebrow suggested otherwise, but he wisely refrained from comment.

"Most likely the gate shield will deactivate as soon as we reactivate the lab force field," Rodney added. "Which we'll need to do anyway once I've established that it does in fact repel water."

"Water?" Only now did one of the Marines appear to consider that factor. Looking worried, he added, "You mean, like high tide?"

Rodney flicked his hand, dismissive. "The sea isn't going to reach anywhere near this far, as evidenced by this growth." His face twisted in annoyance as he batted aside several fronds laced with delicate orchids. "But as was pointed out earlier, if you'd been paying attention, it's obvious that fresh water flows through here on a regular basis. Additionally, I'd like to ensure those lizards can't stage an invasion."

It did not escape Teyla's notice that he'd used `we' when identifying problems-real or perceived-and `I' when outlining the solution. She made no remark about the disparity; she valued Rodney for the whole of his character, self-importance included… though he often tested her resolve on that point.

"While you work on that and investigate whatever data is stored in this place, I'd like to explore the area outside," Dr. Geisler said, peering out through the doorway. "These caves are absolutely fascinating, and-"

"Fine, go." Rodney had already turned back to the row of consoles, once again oblivious to anything outside his immediate frame of reference.

Major Lome held up a cautioning hand. "Only if somebody goes along for backup. Last thing we need is for anyone to get caught out by themselves when one of those T. rexes is walking by."

"I will accompany you," Teyla told Dr. Geisler.

Leaning on a counter affixed to the wall, Ronon glanced up with a spark of renewed interest. "Me too."

"Check in on a half-hour schedule," advised Lome, walking outside with them. "And don't hang out too long. Meanwhile, we'll set up ladders and park the jumpers up there-" he turned his gaze to the hole in the ceiling of the cave- "so access to the lab won't be dependent on the tides."

It was not necessary to exit the cave system by the archway through which the jumpers had traveled, for large cracks in the rocks allowed them passage down to the steep, shingled beach just outside. The pounding of the ocean vibrated beneath Teyla's feet as they made their way with care along the sharp outcrops, which added to her fascination with the unusual landscape. Lantea's mainland, which provided the bulk of her experience with coastal areas, had no such formations that she had seen.

When they had descended to the black sands of the beach, a visibly thrilled Dr. Geisler darted back and forth across the narrow shore, taking photographs of animals that scurried past and gathering samples of tissue or bones from the various carcasses littering the damp ground. More than a few creatures, it seemed, had been caught unawares by the recent tide. Or at least that's what Teyla had presumed until Dr. Geisler explained that such animals lived in the ocean and, upon dying, were carried ashore by the waves. The scientist showed more interest in these than in the living specimens he described as crustaceans and mollusks living in the many rock pools.

Unsurprisingly, it wasn't long before Ronon's initial curiosity dimmed. "I don't see what's useful about looking at dead things," he said, carving an arc in a patch of broken seashells with the toe of his boot. "Especially things that have been dead on your world for millions of years."

Dr. Geisler didn't appear to take offense at the implied criticism. "The Ancients brought the prehistoric animals of Earth here for a reason. What we find on this world may shed light on the nature of Lilith's DNA manipulations on Earth. Back on Atlantis, the biology division is analyzing the remains of the juvenile T. rex from the gate room. I do wish we'd gotten a better sample from the microceratops when they, ah, dropped in to visit. I'm very curious as to why they were in the gate valley, since they preferred a diet of ferns and cycads to the flowering plants that we saw there."

Stooping to examine a three-foot long carcass he had previously identified as a marine iguana, Dr. Geisler shooed away several hard-shelled creatures with long eyestalks and thin legs. The animals-crabs, Teyla was certain they were called-scuttled off with a peculiar sideways gate and clattering of bright orange claws.

"Dr. Brown's team is working on the vegetation specimens," Dr. Geisler added, scooping the remains of the iguana into a sample bag. "She sounded quite overwhelmed by the possibilities."

"Probably wondering if McKay's allergic to any of it," Ronon said, bending to pick through the remains of the opened, palm-sized shells.

"They are an unusual pair, aren't they? You have to wonder if she ever gets a word in edgewise on their dates." Eyes twinkling in the bright sunlight, Dr. Geisler stepped up to the mouth of a cave, the rock edges worn smooth by countless tides, but with many more of the butterfly-shaped shells lying just inside.

"These look like they would be good to eat," Ronon said, collecting one. Black and covered with soft growth on the outside, it was pale inside and, when held in a certain way, reflected multihued light.

"Mussels," Dr. Geisler informed them. "And yes, they are. In fact…" His voice trailed off as he examined the pile that Ronon had been sorting through.

"What is it, Doctor?" Teyla asked.

With a puzzled smile, he shook his head. "Something has certainly been feasting on them. Possibly a large octopus, except…" He turned his attention to the interior of the small sea cave. "There appears to be a blowhole or two in the ceiling. Think we could go in for a bit without getting turned around?"

From where Teyla stood, it appeared to extend inshore a considerable distance, curving in the direction of the Ancient facility. Based on their first visit in the jumper, it was not inconceivable that the caves were linked. She exchanged a glance with Ronon, only to confirm what she knew his answer would be. His sense of direction surpassed hers, and that was not an easy task. The Satedan slipped his weapon out of its holster and held it loosely at his side. "Why not?"

The three of them started inland. "Doctor, you mentioned that the animals that escaped in the city-the microcera- tops-ate certain types of plants," Teyla began. "How do you know this if they no longer exist on your world'?" Though more tolerant of the Earth team's scientific pursuits than Ronon, she was willing to admit that she didn't grasp the significance of the numerous tests they had planned.

"It's all about comparisons," replied the older man.

The shells covering the steep gradient of the cave floor quickly came to an end, and a series of natural steps, where sections of rock had given way, led them well above the high tide mark. Mossy growth padded the cave's floor as they moved further along. There was no need for her flashlight, for daylight continued to find its way through several cracks overhead, and a large pool of filtered sunlight illuminated a section of the cave some distance ahead of them, promising an opening to the outside.

"In my work," Geisler continued, moving cautiously forward up the incline, "we study the fossilized remains of longdead animals in order to find anatomical similarities to species that are still living. Through analogy, we can make informed guesses about what the extinct animals looked like, how they walked, and so on. Teeth indicate diet, for instance. All these factors contribute to a general picture of their behavior."

"So?" Ronon wanted to know. "What's the point of learning about something that can't hurt you anymore?"

Although Geisler's sigh was soft, it echoed off the surrounding rock. "Many pursuits on Earth don't revolve around countering threats, son. I suppose that might be tough to understand out here."

"Not as difficult as you might think," Teyla felt compelled to respond. Her singing, indeed the creative endeavors of many of her people's artisans, had never been undertaken to `counter threats'. "Fearsome though the Wraith are, we would have nothing worthy to defend if we allowed them to dominate every facet of life."

In the dim light, she saw Geisler's nod of acknowledgement before he replied to Ronon. "On our world, most weapons evolved from tools, which were products of necessity, and those in turn gave us time to explore our creativity and curiosity, two of the defining characteristics of the human race. Something of great interest kept the Ancients returning here for millions ofyears. We know that they chose this planet to protect a biosystem now extinct on Earth, and we know that a product of the research on this planet was introduced into Earth's human population with potentially disastrous results. Exploring those links may give us a defense, or even a weapon, to use against the Wraith-if not all Wraith everywhere, then at least in the form Lilith gave them on Earth." He offered Ronon a quick smile. "To vanquish an enemy you must understand it well enough to exploit its weaknesses. Species do not spring into existence fully formed. Each has a history, and knowing the history of the Wraith may provide us with the key to their weakness."

Any response Teyla might have given was pushed out of her thoughts, for they had emerged into a sunken glade inside the cavern. She could almost imagine it to be the bottom of an enormous, shallow well, the rim just out of reach.

"Another old sinkhole," Geisler declared.

Sunrays spilled through branches weighted down with clusters of seeds and the peculiar spade-shaped leaves that seemed to dominate much of this world's landscape. The scene was tinted a dozen shades of green by the vegetation thriving on every available surface. Richly colored blossoms wove in and out of thick vines that trailed down to the floor, from which a few slender saplings reached up, angling for position under the best light. It was a breathtaking sight, a pocket of beauty springing out of nowhere. "How can such things grow in this place?" she asked, reaching out to stroke the petals of a deep violet flower with an enticing scent. Several tiny bees flitted between the blossoms.

"It has all the requirements," Geisler said, sounding less surprised than her but every bit as captivated. "We're well above the high tide mark. There's light, freshwater from rain, and compost from the unfortunate animals that have fallen in." He bent low over a rotting carcass.

On an issue that had been occupying Teyla's thoughts for some time, she said, "Doctor, can you explain the sense of empathy we experienced with the microceratops on Atlantis'? I have never encountered such a connection to an animal before."

"Extraordinary, wasn't it?" Geisler held an ineffectual hand over his nose as he prodded the remains of what looked to have been a four-legged animal. "Most mainstream scientists have discounted the notion of genetic memory ever rising above the most basic, instinctual level. I was one of them until I learned of the Goa'uld." He withdrew a measuring instrument from his overloaded pack. "And, as you well know, the Wraith exhibit telepathy. It's entirely conceivable that intelligence and communication developed on this world with or without genetic manipulation. Of course, such abilities wouldn't have evolved in isolation."

Ronon was standing on his toes, attempting to get a better view of the forest outside but finding the walls too high. "What do you mean by isolation?"

"Nothing evolves without reason."

Teyla noticed that Geisler was frowning as he talked. Perhaps he was intent on extracting samples from the carcass, but she sensed in him a growing disquiet.

"It's more of an ecological arms race." He ceased in his movements and slowly stood. "To catch sufficient food, meat eaters became faster and more powerful, so plant eaters developed agility or heavy armor to defend themselves. The meat eaters grew even larger in response. In this case, the emotional influence wielded by the microceratops affected us, but it didn't seem to slow the T. rex that was chasing them, so…"

The lack of any sort of conclusion to his statement, and the look of apprehensive realization dawning on his face, set Teyla on edge. Obviously Ronon was of like mind, because he demanded, "What?"

Geisler stared distantly at the rough wall, the smell and the humid air forgotten. The slight ruddiness usually present in his features abruptly vanished. "That projection ability could only work on a being capable of feeling compassion. It apparently doesn't exist to combat T. rexes, which means that something considerably more intelligent resides on this planet-something large enough to hunt microceratops."

He didn't voice the obvious conclusion: something that may or may not be friendly to us. Teyla wasted no time in activating her radio. "Rodney, this is Teyla. If you have not yet reactivated the force field around the laboratory, do not wait for us before doing so. We may have more reason to be concerned with speed than we once thought."

She waited for a sharp-tongued response that never came. "Rodney, are you receiving?"

"The mussel shells!" Geisler whispered. "God, I should have recognized the evidence straight away. They weren't cracked open. Something pried them apart-something with dexterous hands!"

Still nothing, not even the hiss of static that often plagued transmissions sent through rock. "Major Lome? Lieutenant Bailey?" Teyla's fingers tightened around the stock of her P-90. "Any team member receiving this message, please acknowledge."

No reply.

Before she could direct them back to the cave's entrance, the scientist inhaled a startled breath, wide eyes fixed on something over her shoulder. The instrument and sample kit tumbled from his hands as he took a fearful, faltering step backward. When he at last managed to force his voice to obey, he could articulate his terror only in a fractured whisper.

"Raptors."

Teyla turned very slowly in place and felt a cool, tingling dread settle over her. A pack of reptilians, two-legged and mottle skinned, had somehow approached in absolute silence-incredible-and now blocked their path. This time, there was no projection of empathy.

Perhaps not all the unfortunate animals in this cave had been merely victims of a fall.

His weapon already drawn, Ronon shocked her with his sudden grunt of pain. As she stood frozen, he clutched at his head, giving a harsh, wordless cry, and collapsed to the ground, crushing the flowers beneath him.